mastitis and exhaustion

[Ocelotsmama]

I'm just wondering how my experience of mastitis tallys with other peoples. On thursday night last week I suddenly realised that I was quite engorged on one side which is really normal for me because I seem to have a more or lest constant problem with over supply (7 months in) and block feed to try to reduce it. I had a hot bath and managed to shift the hardness a bit closer to the nipple. Baby fed as soon as I got out of the bath. And then suddenly I was just flattened by exhaustion, started shivering uncontrollably and had to lie in the dark under a heap of duvets for a few hours. Thank god husband and in laws where there. I had to really concentrate on my breathing which was really messed up and thought I was just having a massive adrenaline dump because the weakness in my limbs I had been feeling brought back the trauma of being ill after my daughters birth (I was laid up with an infection). It was a really violent reaction but only lasted a few hours after which I was tired and embarrassed but more or less fine. I put it all down to some kind of epic panic attack that I assumed had arisen because I had so much support around me.
Anyway I fed exclusively from that breast all night (every 3hrs) and had only the very slightest hardness very deep in the breast by morning. Really no worse than usual. But then around lunchtime I saw a fist sized red patch and it was very hot, sore and swollen but not lumpy. But 8pm I saw a doctor who gave me antibiotics. The next day the redness was gone, it surfaced a little towards the end of the day because my daughter doesn't feed so much during the day. Since then I have been feeding heavily on that side. No expressing because it will increase supply but luckily baby has been very hungry. There are no lumps at all that I can feel, no redness, feels a little bruised but not swollen. But its a week later and I am so so so bone weary, completely totally exhausted. Is this still mastitis? I feel like this has happened backwards for me. Surely exhaustion and then redness and then the shaking and fever is the way its meant to go! How was it for any of you? How long did it last? I am so tired I'm considering asking DH to take tomorrow off work but don't know if this is just regular tired and if that would be crazy. So sorry this is so long!!!

[eeyore2]

Very similar. Once the antibiotics kick in all the shivering etc seems to go. It's horrible though.

[GoldPlatedBacon]

I felt like I had the flu. I remember repeatedly asking my DP if he was cold. It was September so still warm but I went to bed in a vest, pyjamas and had to get up in the night to put my fleece dressing gown on with the hood up whilst snuggled under the duvet.

The next day was a right off. Me and dd stayed in bed until my Dr's appointment that afternoon. Felt fine the next day one the antibiotics kicked in.

[dgcoco5]

I remember having it with my ds when he was just 2 weeks old. .I can sympathise what you're going through -its like having the flu but with no energy to do anything let alone trying to bf ..but midwife said to try & still feed on the sore boop as it helps to release the blocked ducts . I did & it was painful but it worked. Antibiotics kicked in quickly & felt myself again after 3 days .